Romans 8:34Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Who will condemn us when God Himself crowns us, when Christ is slain for us, and not only slain, but afterward intercedes for us? “Christ Jesus who died, rather, who also rose from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Having appeared in His own dignity, He did not cease His providential care for us, but intercedes for us and continually preserves the very same love toward us.

He did not stop simply at being slain. What especially proves the greatest love is that He not only does everything that depended on Him, but also entreats another concerning this. The Apostle wished to express this alone by the word “intercedes.” He speaks in a loving and condescending way, in order to show love. Likewise, if the phrase “did not spare” (Rom 8:32) is not understood in this sense, many absurdities will follow.

So that you may understand that this is precisely what the Apostle wishes to reveal, after first saying that Christ “is at the right hand,” he then added, “intercedes for us.” By this he proved equality of honor and equality, so that intercession must be understood as a manifestation not of lesser dignity, but of love alone.

When He Himself is life, the source of all blessings, and has equal authority with the Father, when He raises the dead, gives life, and does all else, how can He need intercession in order to help us? He freed from condemnation by His own authority those without hope and already condemned. He made them righteous and sons. He raised them to the highest rank of honor and accomplished in deed what could not even be expected. After accomplishing all this, and after raising our nature to the royal throne, did He need intercession for what is easier?

Do you see how everything proves that the Apostle used the word “intercedes” only to express the fervor and power of His love for us? The Father Himself is also represented as entreating men to be reconciled with Him: “Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us” (2 Cor 5:20). Yet when God exhorts, and when men are ambassadors to men in Christ’s name, we understand nothing degrading to such dignity. From such expressions we infer only one thing, namely, the power of love. Let us do the same here.

Therefore, if the Spirit intercedes with unutterable groanings, if Christ died and intercedes for us, and if the Father did not spare His Son for your sake, chose you, and justified you, then why are you afraid? Why do you tremble while enjoying such love and such care?

This expression in no way diminishes the glory of the Only-begotten. He first said, “He is also at the right hand of God,” which is a sign of His majesty. Therefore he added, “He intercedes,” showing by this nothing else than, as was said, His love for us. It is also said of the Father, “as though God were exhorting through us” (2 Cor 5:20). Is the glory of God diminished because He entreats? On the contrary, this is a sign of His ineffable care for us.

Some understood the words “He intercedes for us” thus. Since He bore a body and did not lay it aside, as the Manichaeans vainly say, this very thing is intercession and advocacy before the Father. Looking upon this, the Father remembers the love for mankind by which His Son bore a body, and is thereby inclined to compassion and mercy.

Paul speaks this way, as I have often noted, in order to encourage those in distress. He shows them that the Spirit intercedes for us, that the Father did not spare His own Son for us, but justified and glorified us, and that the Son stands before God for us. Therefore you must neither grow despondent nor lose heart.

The Apostle said this of Him according to His humanity. For as God, He does not ask, but gives. If the heretics say that the Son does this according to His divinity, even by this they will not diminish His glory. Let us imagine two kings of equal honor, having one and the same authority. Some provincial ruler or military commander insults both. One king, having first accepted the request of the offender, asks his partner in royal authority for reconciliation with him. Does this diminish the dignity of the one who asks? Not at all.

But here even this cannot be said, because what is pleasing to the Son is pleasing also to the Father. The will of both is one. Therefore, when the Apostle intended to show the exceeding abundance of His care, his word takes on an adorned figure of speech.

To this the Apostle adds that Jesus Christ will be not only Judge, but also our Advocate. He is an all-powerful Advocate, sharing the fullness of authority with the Father and the Spirit, since He sits at the right hand of the Father. In a word, the fullness of future glory will undoubtedly belong to us, if we truly love God.

St. John Chrysostom says, “The whole world is against us, as are tormentors, nations, relatives, and fellow citizens. Yet all those who are against us are so far from being able to harm us that, against their will, they become the cause of crowns for us and mediators of countless blessings. God forgives sins, but what is far greater, God justifies. Does the one who condemns such a man deserve any attention? Therefore we must fear neither temptations, because God is for us and has proved this by His deeds, nor Jewish empty talk, because God has chosen and justified us. What is still more wondrous, He justified us by the death of the Son.”

“Who will condemn us, when God Himself crowns us, when Christ is slain for us, and after being slain intercedes for us? Having appeared after the Ascension in His own dignity, He did not cease His providential care for us, but intercedes for us and preserves the same love toward us. Why then are you afraid? Why do you tremble while enjoying such love? Only those who do not love God ought to tremble. But we love Him, and in love for Him we have a new proof that our hopes will be fulfilled, and of the greatness of Christianity altogether.”

For a boundless sacrifice has been offered for sins. Christ died for them. Having risen and ascended into heaven, He sits at the right hand of the Father in order to intercede for those who sin and run to Him with tears of repentance.

Regard sins as though they did not exist, and do not let them shake your hope. Only do not harden your heart. Hasten to the Lord with repentance.

This discourse of the Apostle is similar to the words of John the Theologian: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, that He may forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." And further: "These things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous" (cf. 1 Jn 1:8-9; 1 Jn 2:1).

"Christ who died." Oecumenius understands the Apostle as saying this interrogatively, as though in this way: who condemns? Is it Christ, who died for our sins, rose for our justification, sits at the right hand of the Father, and intercedes for us?

By this he expresses the decisive impossibility of condemnation from the person of Christ the Lord. No objection to this is even admitted. Christ the Lord died for us, rose, ascended into heaven, and, sitting at the right hand of the Father, intercedes for us.

How does He intercede? By His very presence at the right hand of the Father in human nature, bearing the marks of sufferings and wounds, which without words intercede for us unceasingly. But the Apostle expresses more, for he says entynchanei, He speaks to God in intercession for us.

By all this the exceeding love of Christ the Lord for us is expressed. With all desire He desires to save all and each of us. If the Lord's care for us is such, how can we fail to be animated by hope that we shall be saved and counted worthy of the kingdom of heaven?

"What do you seek beyond this? The Master Christ died for us and, having risen, sits together with the Father. Even by this He did not cease His providential care for us. Pointing to the firstfruits He received from us and showing the Father its purity, through it He asks salvation for us" (blessed Theodoret).

"Who will condemn us, when God Himself crowns, when Christ is slain for us, and after being slain intercedes for us? Having appeared in His own dignity after the Resurrection and Ascension, He did not cease His providential care for us, but intercedes for us and preserves the very same love toward us.

"It was not enough for Him to die for us. What especially proves the greatest love is that He not only accomplishes all that depended on Him, but asks Another concerning it. This alone the Apostle wished to show by the word intercedes.

"He speaks in a man-befriending and condescending way, in order to show love. If the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, if Christ died and intercedes for us, if the Father did not spare His Son for your sake, chose you, and justified you, then what do you fear? Why do you tremble, while enjoying such love and such care for you?" (Chrysostom).

Our interpreters considered it necessary here to add an explanation of the sense in which intercession should be understood. He intercedes, they say, as our Redeemer and Savior according to the divine economy of salvation in His becoming man, not as God the Son. Therefore this intercession does not signify any diminution of the Godhead of God the Son.

Blessed Theodoret writes: "The Apostle said this of Him according to His humanity. For as God, He does not ask, but gives. If heretics say that the Son does this according to His divinity, even then they will not diminish His glory.

"Let us imagine two kings equal in honor, having one and the same authority. Some governor of a province or military commander offends both. One of them, first receiving the request of the offender, asks his fellow participant in royal authority for reconciliation with him. Does this diminish the dignity of the one who asks? Not at all.

"But here one cannot even say this, because what is pleasing to the Son is pleasing also to the Father. Both have one will. Therefore, when the Apostle intended to show the surpassing abundance of care, his word takes on an adorned figure of speech."

Chrysostom says: "The Apostle first said that Christ is at the right hand of God, and then added that He intercedes for us. By this he also proved equality of honor and equality. Therefore intercession must now be understood as the consequence not of lesser dignity, but of love alone.

"For when He Himself is life, the source of all blessings, equal in power to the Father, and raises the dead and gives life and does all the rest, does He need to intercede in order to give us help?

"He freed the hopeless and condemned from condemnation by His own authority. He made them righteous and sons. He raises them to the highest degree of honor and brings to fulfillment what could not even be expected. After accomplishing all this, after raising our nature to the royal throne, did He need to intercede for what is easier?

"Do you notice how everything proves that by the word intercedes the Apostle tried to express nothing other than the warmth and strength of His love for us? The Father Himself is presented as beseeching men to be reconciled to Him: 'We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were beseeching through us' (cf. 2 Cor 5:20).

"Yet when it is said that God beseeches, and that men are ambassadors to men in Christ's name, we imagine nothing degrading to their dignity. Rather, from such expressions we conclude only the extraordinary character of love. Let us do the same here."

Oecumenius cites explanations of this intercession by Saint Cyril and Photius. Saint Cyril says: "Intercedes is said with reference to the humanity of Christ the Lord. For He is High Priest, as it is said: 'You are a priest forever'" (cf. Heb 7:17-21).

Photius writes: "Here the Apostle shows and explains the meaning of that voice of the Lord, the voice that the Lord lifted up to the Father in the form of prayer: 'Father, sanctify them in Thy truth,' and, 'I pray that Thou keep them from the evil one' (cf. Jn 17:15-17), and similar words. For the prayer then uttered has such power that it is always effective and always takes the place of verbal intercession."

Blessed Theophylact writes: "Some have understood the words, 'He intercedes for us,' in this way. Since He bore a body and did not lay it aside, as the Manichaeans babble, this very fact is His advocacy and intercession with the Father. Looking upon this, the Father remembers the love for mankind by which His Son bore a body. Thus He is inclined to compassion and mercy."